Apparatus for handling propeller blade blanks



Nov. 12,. 1940. E.' F. GEHRET r 2,221,539

` l APPARATUS FOR HANDLING PROPELLER BLADE BLANK-S Filed Jan. l2, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 12, 1940. E. F. GEHRET APPARATUS FOR, HANDLING PROPELLER BLADE BLANKS Filed Jan. l2, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Men,

Patented Nov. 12, 1940 UNITED STATES APPARATUS FOR HANDLING PBOPELLEB BLADE Edward Fayette Gehret,

BLANES Jersey Shore, Pa.. assignor to Aviation Manufacturing Corporation, Williamsport, Pa., a corporation of Delaware 4 Application January 12, 1938, Serial No. 184,560

9 Claims.

The invention relates to apparatus for handling hollow propeller blade blanks during the fabrication of the blades.

One object of the invention is 'to provide iml proved apparatus for supporting a blade blank for transportation from a furnace in which the blank is heated to shaping or forming-dies while the blank is in the dies, for expanding the facesections by fluid under pressure admitted to the l0 interior of the blank through the lshank portion; and for transporting the shaped blank from the dies.

Another object of the invention is to provide a blank-holder of this type, which can be easily 15 and readily manipulated.

Another object of the invention is to provide a blank-holder of this type. which includes fluid pressure means for operating jaws for gripping the blank and for operating the fluid pressure n connection to the shank of the blade.

' Other objects ofthe invention will appear from the detailed description.

The invention consists in the several novel features which are hereinafter set forth and are ll more particularly defined by claims at the conclusion hereof.

In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a side elevation of apparatus embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Fig. 5. Fig. 3 is a section n onlineI-Sofliig. Pig.4isasectiononllne I-l of Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinal section, parts being shown in elevation. Fig. 6 is a vertical longitudinal 4.section of the holder with the gripping-Jaws open. Fig. v'i is a. sec- I tion on line 1-1 of Pig. 5. Fig. 8 is a section on line 8 5 of Fig. 5.

The invention is exemplined in apparatus comprising a holder for a hollow tubular blank used in making propeller blades, which is sus-- do pended by chains il from a hoisting device il of any suitable construction whereby the holder can be raised or lowered, and a trolley i2 which carries the hoisting device and is adapted to travel on an overhead track i3 so that the holder with the work or blank, can be quickly transported from the furnace in which it is heated to tlie press B. The holder is adapted to lretain the blank during shaping, expanding and quenching operations in the press. The invention is exemplined with a blank a having a tubular shank al with an integral flange a.z used in securing the finished blade in a hub after the alrfoil portion has beenfiattened and trimmed to form face-sections which have been welded tollgetheralongtheiredgeaasexempllnedinan application flled by Glen T. Lanipton February 18, 1937, Serial No. 126,390. The blank is heated to a recalescent temperature in a furnace and must be transported from the furnace and delivered to the dies, and, when the dies are closed, 6 the blank is expanded by fluid under pressure admitted into the interior of the blank to Vthe contour of the die cavities. The press B` is provided with dies b, b1, having mating cavities b2, b1 shaped to form the exterior contours of the l0 airfoil portion oi' the blade, and comprises a fixed bed b and vertically movable head b to which die b ls attached for opening and closing the dies. In practice, it is desirable to expeditiously handle the blank and transport it from the fur- 15 nace to the press and it is necessary to support the shank portion of the blank while the airfoil portions are being shaped in the dies. It is also necessary to support the blank so as to permit of the shrinkage of the blank which occurs as lo the result of the quenching or cooling of the blank in order to prevent the setting up .of undesirable internal stresses and warping within the blank and, for that purpose, the holder is suspendedao it is free to follow the shank during such shrinkage.

.The improved holder comprises a tubular arm' I5 to one end of which is i'lxed a housing il for the gripping mechanism for the blank and a head il at its other end for supporting the iluid I0 pressure mechanism for operating the gripping- Jaws for the blank. and the tubular connection for delivering gas under pressure into the blank for expanding the face-sections ln the dies. The suspension chains Il are connected to housing it le and head Il, respectively. The gripping mechanism comprises a pair of coactlng semicylindrical Jaws it adapted to ilt around and grasp the cylindrical shank al of the blank adjacent the flange a2; opposltely swinging levers i! to which the o jaws Il are respectively secured and which are fulcruined on pins Il; a head 2| provided with forked projecting lugs 22 in which the pins 2l are mounted and which is secured to the enlarged end of housing it: a plunger 2l slidablymounted on a tubular extension 24 which is integral with head f2; and diametrically opposite links Il which are'pivoted, as at 2t, to plunger 23 and at 2l to the jaw-carrying levers Il. Each Jaw Il is provided with a chamber Il on its inner face 50 and a pipe Il is connected to the jaws for supplying water to the jaws and around the shank al of the blank, for cooling the jaws, and the shank a1 of the blank. Pipes Il are connected to a source of water supply through iiexible pipes It. I5

2 l arenoso l `wmr supplied se chambers :c ummm'.

onto the door.

The der comprises means tor delivering a suitable gas under pressure into the chamber in l the blank for expanding the blade-sections in the diea This means comprises a head li which is provided with a liner li* of non-ferrous metal having a conoidal face adapted to be forced against the inner end oi' the'tubular shank porl tion of the blank to form a seal lbetween the head and the blank and with a tubular shank ll which is slidably mounted in a bushing l2 in a tubular extension 2l oi head 2l. A tubular member or pipe ll is connected to the inner end of shank ll of head lhand a pipe ll for supplying gas for delivery through head ll into the chamber in the blank a. is connected to deliver the gas into pipe ll. l t The mechanism for controlling the gripping jaws Il to engage and release the blank and for forcing the head ll into sealing engagement with the inner end of the shank of the blank, comprises a pneumatic cylinder l1 secured -to the supporting head I'I and a piston ll slidable ln said cylinder. The stem ll oi' piston ll is. secured to shift pipe ll by a detachable coupling-member comprising a member ll which is slidable in a bushing I'i andv is screw-threaded to stem 39; a cap li which is screw-threaded to pipe ll and secured by a pin l2 to member ll. A three-way valve ll is connected by branch pipes ll, ll to deliver, from a supply pipe ll, compressed air or other duid, into either end of the cylinder l1 i'or operating piston ll vin opposite directions in as cylinder l1. A collar ll fixed to pipe ll which is reciprocable with piston li, isy adapted. to engage shoulder ll on plunger 2l tomove links 2l longitudinally and cause them to swing levers 2l on their i'ulcra Il for separating jaws I l to re- 40 lease the shank ot the blade blank. A compression yspring Il inside oi' tubular arm il engages a washer Ilv which bears against plunger 2l and a collar l2 on pipell for shifting plunger `2l to close the jaws Il when the plunger is released by collar Il. The force oi' spring ll is' applied to cause jaws Ilto grip and clamp the shank of the blank rmly between them, so that the blade will rbe supported for transportation to or i'rom the press and supported while the blank is in the dies. so The collar l2 is adjustable so that the force of spring lill can be varied to insure the gripping of the blank by the jaws il. For this purpose a sleeve ll lis screw-threaded to pipe/ll and is provided with a series o! holes ll so that it 55 can be turned by a wrench passed through an opening ll in tubular arm Il. A lock--nut ll ,is vthreaded to the pipe ll and provided with holes so that it can be turned by a wrench for y lockingvthe sleeve ll in its adjusted position. w The sealing-head li is forced against'the inner end oi' the tubular shank oi' the blank by iluid pressure in cylinder l1 when it is applied to outer side of piston 38 to which pipe lll and head li are connected. When iluid under pressure is V-|345 admitted to the inner side of piston ll the latter `will retract pipe li and head li and collar ll will engage and retract plunger. 2l against the force of spring 50 so that the plunger will. through links 2l, swing leveril and spread jaws 70 il to release the blank.

In operation. the holder is moved into posiftion to receive a blank 4a which has been heated inthe furnace while the jaws il are spread apart and sealing-head 3| is retracted. Air undery 75 pressure is then admitted throughpipe W under control oi' valve ll to torce piston ll inwardly. which will shift pipe ll and collar 4l so that plunger 2l will be released and shifted outwardly by spring Il. This spring-impelled movement of plunger 2l will swing levers il through links Il I and cause the jaws il to ilrmly grip the shank al of the :blank outwardly of ilange a. The pressure of air in cylinder l1 will operate piston ll to force the sealing-head'll against the inner end o! the shank of the blade and torce the ilange a ll against the inner sides oi' jaws Il so that a closed connection will be established between the chamber in the hollow blank through head li and pipe ll for delivering gas under pressure into the blank for expanding its tace-sections in the ll dies. While the press is open, the holder will be lshiftedl to bring the airfoil portion oi' the blank into a position of registry with the cavities b in the dies. The blank remains gripped by the jaws and supported by the holder while the blank is in the press. I'he press will thenbe operated to bring the dies together. The operator will then open the connection between pipe ll and the source oi gas supply under pressure .to deliver gas'through pipe ll and head li into the chamll ber in the blank for expansion by internal airpressure of the portions of the blank in the dies to the contour oi the die-cavities. When the blank has been expandedLit is desirable vto cool or quench it at a rate that will produce the l0 proper physical properties in the metal oi' the final blade and it is convenient to eilect` this cooling by conductivity through the dies while the blade remains in the dies. which may be easily and conveniently controlled, as well understood in the art. This cooling causes a certain amount oi longitudinal shrinkage in the blank and, in order to prevent the setting up of undesirable internal stresses and warping within the blank, itis necessary that the blade-shank be supported by the holder in such a manner that the shank is i'ree longitudinally or in the direction of the die-cavity. The blank holder b'eing suspended by chains Il from the hoist il, is free to follow the' blank during the cooling operation without setting up any undesirable internal stresses oi' warping within the blank. Cooling water may be supplied `to the. jaws Il through pipes 2l to cool the shank portion of the blade and the gripping jaws when desired. When the blank has been ex- .o panded and quenched the press will be opened to release the blank and holder. The holder with the blank will then be shifted along track il to the point where the blank is subjected to ilnish-` ing operations, such as grinding its edgesvand u polishing. To release the blank at the desired s' point, the operator will shii't valve 43 to admit air under pressure to cylinder 31 through pipe ll which will retract piston 39. Head 3| will be disengaged from the shank of the blank and, after m)y l it has been partially retracted, collar ll will engage plunger 23 to open the jaws I8 through links 25 and levers i9. 'I'he air-pressure in the cylinder will retain the jaws open against the force of spring ll in readiness for a succeeding operai o5 tion.

The invention exempliiles apparatus for supporting and holding a hollow blank in the fabrication of a propeller blade, which is suspended to support the blank while it is in the dies in such manner that the blank is free to shrink or contract while it is supported in the holder. It also exemplifies iluid pressure mechanism for conjointly operating the gripping jaws and the pipe-connection through which air is delivered 7g for expanding the blank while it is in the press. It also exemplifies a work-holder for this and other purposes which can be easily manipulated and whereby the blanks can be transported from one point to another.

The invention is not to be understood as restricted to the details set forth, since these may be modified within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: I

l. In a work-holder for hollow propeller blade blanks, the combination of a supporting member, jaws for gripping the shank of the blank carried by said supporting member, a connection carried bythe supporting member for delivering fluid under pressure into the chamber in the shank, and means operable by fluid under pressure, carried by the supporting member, for shifting the jaws and shifting the connection into engagement with the blank.

2. In a work-holder for hollow propeller blade blanks, the combination of a tubular supporting member, jaws for gripping the shank of the blank, carried by said member, spring-means carried by the supporting-member for shifting the jaws into engagement with the blank, a pipe-connection carried by said member for delivering fluid under pressure into the chamber in the blank,

` and means carried by the member for conjointly lshifting the connection to `engage the blank and for controlling the shift of the jaws by the springmeans.

3. In a work-holder for hollow propeller blade blanks, the combination of a tubular supporting member, jaws for gripping the shank of the blank, carried by said member, spring-means carried by the supporting member for shifting the jaws into engagement with the blank, a pipeconnection carried by said member for delivering fluid underpressure into the chamber in the blank, and fluid pressure means carried by the member for conjointly shifting the connection to engage the blank and for controlling the shift of the jaws by the spring-means.

4. In a work-holder for hollow propeller blade blanks, the combination of a tubular supporting member, jaws for gripping the shank of the blank pivotally supported by said member, springmeans carried by the supporting member for shifting the jaws into engagement with the blank, a pipe-connection slidably mounted in said member, for delivering fluid under pressure into the chamber in the blank, and means carried by the member for conjointly shifting the connection toA engage the blank and for controlling the shift of the jaws by the spring-means.

5. In a work-holder for hollow steel propeller blade blanks, the combination of a movably supported supporting member, pivotally movable jaws carried by said member, for gripping the shank of the blank, spring means for forcing the jaws against the blank, a pipe-connection slidably mounted in the supporting member provided with a head for engaging the blank and for delivering fluid under pressure into the chamber in the blank, fluid pressure means carried by said member for shifting the pipe connection into and out of engagement with the blank, and means operated by said fluid-pressure means for shifting the jaws against the force of the springmeans to release the blank.

6. In a work-holder for hollow steel propeller lvided with a head for engaging the blank and for delivering fluid under pressure into the chamber in the blank, fluid pressure means carried by said member for shifting the pipe-connection into and out of engagement with the blank and means on said pipe-connection for shifting the jaws against the force of the spring-means to release the blank.

7. In a work-holder'for hollow propeller blade blanks, the combination of a supporting member, jaws for gripping the shank of the blank carried by said supporting member, a connection carried by, and slidable longitudinally in, the supporting member for delivering fluid under pressure into the.chamber in the shank, means carried by the supporting member for operating the jaws, and means operable by' the fluid under pressure for shifting the connection into engagement with the blank.

8. In a work-holder for propeller blade blanks, the combination of a supporting arm, a suspension device for movably supporting the arm,

jaws carried by the arm for gripping the shank of, and supporting, the blank, a pipe-connection in the holder for delivering fluid under pressure into the chamber in the blank, means for supplying fluid under pressure to said pipe, and means operable by fluid under pressure and carried by the arm for shifting the pipe-connection relatively to the arm and into engagement with the blank.

9. In a work-holder for propeller blade blanks, the combination of a supporting arm, a suspension device for movably supporting the arm, jaws, carried by the arm, for gripping the shank of, and supporting, the blank, a pipe-connection in the holder for delivering fluid under pressure into the chamber in the blank, means for supplying fluid under pressure to said pipe, and means operable by fluid under pressure and carried by the holder for shifting the pipe-connection into engagement with the blank, the suspension device permitting the supporting arm and parts carried thereby to move while the blank is held in a press. 1

EDWARD FAYETTE GEHRET. 

